What does my ancestor's pregnancy have to do with me, a mere servant?

Of course, he made this up, but he had already gained Shen Guiyan's initial trust, and he was betting that Shen Guiyan would absolutely not be willing to take any risks for the sake of her spiritual root.

The dark purple light at Shen Guiyan's fingertips extinguished silently.

Then it slowly retracted.

The spiritual pressure dissipated.

But in his eyes, there was a hint of extremely subtle and extremely complex apprehension.

There are no fools among cultivators who can reach the Nascent Soul stage.

She could hear the confidence in Lin Yuan's words. She could also tell that he wasn't bluffing.

And once the news leaks—

The entire cultivation world of Chu will go crazy for this heaven-defying opportunity.

At that point, let alone a Nascent Soul stage elder like her, even if all five Nascent Soul elders of the Xuan Yin Sect joined forces, they would have no chance of holding out against the siege of the other four major forces.

Moreover—if it really comes to that, the other four Nascent Soul elders within the Xuan Yin Sect would absolutely not stand on her side.

Who doesn't want an earth-elemental spiritual root? Who doesn't want a heaven-elemental spiritual root?

Cooperation is the only correct option that is most beneficial to both parties.

Shen Guiyan slowly exhaled.

A breath brushed past a small patch of dust on the stone tabletop, stirring up a few fine wisps of dust.

"That's enough."

"I have lived for four hundred years. I have seen countless geniuses and countless peerless heroes. But this is the first time I have been restrained by a junior in the Foundation Establishment stage."

She looked at Lin Yuan, a very faint smile curving her lips.

In that arc, there was mockery, helplessness, and a hint of appreciation that even she herself didn't realize.

"You pass."

Lin Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

"The Taixu Secret Realm will open in half a month." Shen Guiyan stood up, her speech quickening as she resumed the decisive and efficient demeanor of a Nascent Soul Ancestor.

"In the next two weeks, send me any body cultivation resources you require—spirit stones, body tempering elixirs, bone forging pills, essence blood materials—and I will personally send them to Black Crow Mountain."

She walked to the entrance of the stone chamber and stopped with her back to Lin Yuan.

"You need to raise your physical strength to the mid-stage of the Transcendent Realm before the secret realm opens. Mid-stage Transcendent Realm—that's the bottom line you set yourself. I will personally come to inspect it then."

"If you succeed, you'll get both spots. And you'll have plenty of resources."

"But if you don't do it—"

Her voice turned cold.

"These deals are all void. The consequences of toying with a Nascent Soul cultivator—"

"You know that."

Lin Yuan lowered his head and said, "This disciple will do his utmost and will never fail to live up to Master's expectations."

This statement is both humble and dignified.

Shen Guiyan took one last look at him before turning to leave.

Suddenly it stopped again.

"There's one more thing."

Shen Guiyan raised her right hand and pointed her index finger in the air.

A wisp of dark purple light flew from her fingertips.

The speed was so fast that Lin Yuan's naked eye could not even perceive it.

The spiritual light passed directly through his physical defenses at the early stage of the Transcendent Realm—as if entering an empty place.

There was no pain. And there was no obstruction.

That wisp of dark purple spiritual light precisely pierced into Lin Yuan's brow.

Like an extremely fine and soft silk thread, it deftly bypassed his skin and probed into the depths of his consciousness.

Then, in an inconspicuous corner at the edge of the sea of ​​consciousness, it transformed into a complex and intricate array mark.

"This is my tracking mark."

"As long as you don't wander off, it won't harm you at all. It won't affect your cultivation, your alchemy, or your... arduous training."

"But what if you have any other thoughts..."

"This disciple understands." Lin Yuan lowered his gaze, his tone impeccably respectful.

But in his heart, he already remembered this debt clearly.

Tracking traces, right? Okay, okay.

When my cultivation level improves, I'll do it a hundred times, a hundred times!

Let's see if you can still put on that condescending attitude then.

However, such thoughts can only be kept to oneself.

He didn't show any emotion on his face, behaving as obediently as a junior apprentice.

"Now that we've reached an agreement," Shen Guiyan withdrew her Nascent Soul spiritual pressure, and the suffocating oppressive feeling in the stone chamber instantly dissipated.

Her gaze suddenly swept toward the spirit beast chamber on the side of the stone chamber.

"I just scanned the items in your spirit beast chamber with my divine sense."

"Soul-Devouring Demonic Insects. An ancient and exotic species. Once they swarm, even Golden Core cultivators can only retreat in fear, and even Nascent Soul cultivators must be wary of them."

She changed the subject, her voice now carrying an undisguised hint of disdain.

"However, your method of nurturing and incubating is extremely rudimentary. You think you can incubate an ancient species with just a crudely made small spirit-gathering array? Do you think this thing is like a hen laying an egg, where it just needs to be warmed up to hatch?"

Lin Yuan appeared respectful, but a slight twitch appeared on his lips.

have to.

The old lady mocked my insect-raising skills.

Although what she said was indeed correct.

Shen Guiyan raised her right hand, and a section of her sleeve slipped down, revealing a fair and smooth wrist.

"I'll also show some sincerity. Since we're going to cooperate, I can't let you go to your death in the Taixu Secret Realm empty-handed. This thing will be of some use to you, take it."

A jade slip exuding an ancient aura flew from her fingertips.

The jade slip traced a blue arc in mid-air, moving at a moderate speed, and came to a steady stop three inches in front of Lin Yuan's chest.

Lin Yuan raised his hand and grasped the jade slip in his palm.

It feels warm and smooth to the touch. The texture is delicate. The edges bear the marks of years of repeated rubbing, clearly indicating that it has been treasured for a very long time.

The significance of something that a Nascent Soul Grandmaster would keep close at hand is self-evident.

Shen Guiyan didn't linger. Her figure flickered in place, a faint dark purple light shone, and she vanished from the stone chamber like a wisp of smoke.

They came silently and left without a sound.

The methods of the Nascent Soul Ancestor are truly terrifying.

Lin Yuan stood still without making a move. He released his divine sense and carefully explored the inside and outside of the cave again and again.

After confirming that Shen Guiyan had indeed gone far away, they searched for the sparrow in the spirit beast room but found no trace of it.

Lin Yuan let out a long breath. His shoulders, which had been tense for so long, finally relaxed.

On the surface, the confrontation appeared calm and casual, with everyone chatting and laughing.

In fact, his back was already soaked with cold sweat.

Facing a Nascent Soul level monster head-on could easily result in annihilation. Fortunately, the outcome was good—not only did they secure two core spots in the Taixu Secret Realm, but they also finalized an investment in cultivation resources at the Nascent Soul level.

There are enough resources for half a month of physical training.

That tracking mark between the eyebrows is somewhat unsettling.

It feels like an invisible rope is around my neck. Although it's not constricting me right now, it still makes me feel uneasy.

Forget it.

Let's enjoy the immediate benefits first. Once we reach the Taixu Secret Realm, form our Golden Core, and acquire enough leverage, we can settle the score with Shen Guiyan then.

Lin Yuan straightened up from the stone wall and walked back to the bluestone bed to sit down.

He placed the ancient jade slip between his eyebrows.

The Record of Taming Beasts and Insects